Jnana Yoga

Jnana means wisdom or discernment. Jnana yoga is the path of wisdom and jnana meditation is many-faceted. Jnana Yoga is associated with Advaita Vedanta. Vedanta is one of the 6 principle philosophies of Hinduism. Vedanta teaches that all things in the universe share one soul. Vedanta also teaches the idea that the seeming separateness of material objects is really an illusion or “Maya”. Through meditation we are able to escape the sensory delusions of the world and live in attunement with the underlying reality or spirit of the universe.

Great Vedantins include Shankara and Swami Vivekananda.

The techniques of Jnana Yoga include:

Viveka. This means “discernment” or “discrimination” in English. This technique, associated especially with Shankara, involves a deliberate, continuous effort to understand that the real you — the Self — is something separate from the objects of which you are aware.

Neti-neti. This phrase means “not this, not this” in Sanskrit. You apply this formula mentally to all objects of awareness to destroy the false sense that they are you. When all the objects are banished, the real you — the Self — is what’s left over.